Trail Race Weekend Part 1: The Gateway Race, and I Needed a Little More (RR with pics)

6 am.The classical music comes out of nowhere. What I think should be a relaxing way to wake up, but never is. I turned over about to get up and DBF's alarm went off too. Ok, I'm up.

Race morning and I felt...rested? Huh. How about that? Best sleep I've ever had the night before a race. Is this what happens when there is no pressure on a race? When you're pretty sure you'll finish and you don't care how long it takes? Maybe that's normal for trail races? What ever it was, I liked it.

After a near accident (no joke, DBF forgot his camera, tried to U-turn and almost got hit, great start to the day!), we were on our way. We got there and started walking to what seemed to be the start. Then I realized there were no leaves and with the sun blazing, I wanted my visor. So we trekked back. We finally got to the start and all of a sudden it was 5 minutes to the start and they were telling us to line up. No time to pee! I didn't think I needed to anyways.

Turns out DBF and I were on the wrong side of the start gate. I went over and stood in back. They started us in waves to try and keep the trail a bit less crowded (it was still a bit crowded). I think the second wave the guy said "If you've ran a half on the road in under 8 minute pace, line up". Ha! Nope! I've never ran trails that fast! Unless I want to try and set a record for the number of times one can fall in 13 miles and come out a bloodied up mess.

As I was standing there the sun was making me warm even though it was probably about 40. And it was supposed to warm up. I regretted the long sleeve shirt under my short sleeve. So I went off to the side and surprising myself with how comfortable I felt, took off my shirt and stuffed the long one in my hydration pack, put the short one back on and walked into the crowd. I found zamgirl (Angie) then and went up to say hi. They said 10 minute road pace to line up and I was already at the front so I just went, hoping that wasn't too fast.

At the start. Notice the woman in a sweatshirt. I felt bad for the bundled up people by the end of the race!

The start/finish was by a lake.

The finish line, just waiting for us to come back!

We went through the grass and then it wasn't long before we were onto the trail. Even with the wave start, getting onto the trail was a bit crowded. A lot of points we were walking. Almost every uphill, even if it wasn't very steep, we would walk. I didn't really mind because I didn't care about time. I figured this would be a fun training run with a bib and a medal at the end. I told DBF I hoped I'd finish before 3 hours.

We were poking along. It was cool but I was warming up. The sun was coming straight through the bare trees and it was actually really pretty.

Around the first mile mark, I tripped. It really wasn't a fall. My foot got stuck, probably on a root or something, but I wasn't going fast enough to really fall. I was on the other foot trying to stay upright but my foot just wouldn't move and so my legs kind of crumpled and I put my hands down. But then my right foot came free and I just got back up and kept moving. The women in front and behind me both asked if I was ok, and I was fine. Hands a little dirty, maybe a scratch or two. My thought was that it's mile one, either I got the fall out of the way or it was going to be a long day.

But I got going again. After a few miles I opened my honeystringer waffle (try new things on race day, right?) and OH MY GOODNESS those things are delicious! I wish I could only eat those, all day.

Anyways, I just kept on running. I'd power hike the steeper uphills and run the rest at a comfortable pace. After only a few miles I had to pee. Ugh. No tree cover so I just kept going.

The sun came up and it warmed up a bit. I was glad I had my hydration vest and tried to make myself drink, but the having to pee made that not seem very interesting.

It was such a beautiful day! Finally! We passed different little lakes. DBF and I hiked the first half of the loop once last summer so parts were familiar.

Soon we spread out a bit and I could run a little faster and not have to worry about stepping on other people's heels.

Some might be sad the trees were not green at all since it's been so cold, but it was kind of cool to be able to see so far through the forest. There was just a long line of people in brightly colored running clothes weaving through the woods.

There was an aid station halfway through. Also one outhouse but I didn't feel like waiting. It was in the campground DBF and I stayed at when we went camping. I grabbed a GU and some water and kept going. Right after that I heard Angie's voice yelling "is that Allison up there?" I knew she was in front of me but apparently not too far and I must have passed her at the aid station or something! So I turned around and started talking to her and her friends. I kept running with them, enjoying having someone to talk to and listening to their conversations, until I got stuck behind another person and they pulled ahead of me. I was getting tired and they were going a bit faster than I felt like I wanted to go. They were too far ahead at that point to say goodbye or good luck or anything so I watched them go and settled back into my comfy pace.

I will say it was amazing how fast such slow miles go! If I was running that pace on the roads I think I'd feel like I was getting nowhere, but on the trails there's never a dull moment!

I didn't take too many pictures except on one hill I took out my phone since I was walking anyways.

At the 9 mile aid station, I grabbed an expresso GU and that thing tasted like heaven! A guy at the station said there were no more hills and I told him I didn't believe him

9 miles was the farthest I'd ever gone on trails, so everything after this was a trail distance PR!

At some point I stopped thinking about having to pee. Then I got nervous I wasn't drinking enough since my face was caked with dried sweat. So I drank!

Then I ended up behind two women running together. They were going at a fine pace and I didn't feel like trying to pass. We went by a man marking the course for the 5 mile race the next day and he asked if we had to dress alike to run together (all three of us were in pink). The woman in front said like mother like daughter. We got to a hill and started walking and they looked back and asked if I wanted to pass. I told them no, and said that I thought the man thought I was her daughter too! They said they would take me on if I wanted! After a bit I did end up passing them.

I don't know if it was the caffeine GU or the fact that I was almost done or what, but I felt great! I was sad I was going to be done soon! I can't say I remember smiling this much the last three miles of a half marathon!

After what everyone around me said was the last big hill, we were at the 12 mile marker and I told myself to run the last mile, including all the hills. It's still a race after all! I wanted to slow down at some point but I didn't. I was passing people left and right. I guess that's what happens when you don't start "racing' until the last mile!

One of the first finishers. Lots of people went into the lake after running. I didn't bring an extra pair of shorts so I passed. DBF said the guy that won ran through the finish line and went straight into the lake!

I could hear the cheering and then I came around a turn and there was the finish! We were on grass so I ran as fast as I could!

My best Bangle Pump so far!

Official time 2:39:55. Better than the 3 hours I told DBF! I really didn't have any expectations. Slowest half ever (probably including the two halves of my first marathon) but maybe the most fun!

I never put my bib on in the middle. Oh well.

Splits:

Lots of steep little hills made for lots of power hiking. But that last mile was quick for me on the trails!

Not sure why Garmin Jr. made the elevation axis so large but there were some nice hills

I really enjoy this shirt for some reason!

I will not lie to you, this was staged (there is no one around me, that never actually happend). DBF wanted to get a picture of me on a trail.

We hung out a bit, I ate a cookie and most of a half of a muffin (not on the diet but whatever), and a banana because that is healthy . I introduced DBF to Angie, since I talk about her I figure he should know she is a real person! We didn't stay long, DBF had to go to school and I figured I should go do something with my day.

Except when I got home, I was thinking about how it was such a beautiful day I just wanted to be outside. Plus my completely made up 50K training plan had 16 miles that day. So I got more water and headed back to the closer state park for some more!

DBF said I was crazy. Do I look crazy to you?

Crazy tired by the end.

I went down a loop I've never done before and apparently not many people do it either!

Stepped in a huge mud puddle that I thought would be more solid than it was.

Found myself pretty high up!

And I went three more miles. I was pretty cooked by the end and went home to refuel and sit around most of the day.

The damgage

All in all, a really fun day. I was more sore than I expected for having gone at such an easy pace. Maybe just from going farther on trails than I ever have gone. I questioned whether my fast last mile or those three more pushed me over the edge. But nothing I could do now expect Stick the crap out of my legs and rest.

I wanna do some trails. I don't have a lot to choose from that are close to home. Great race report. I forgot to mention in mine that we almost got in a wreck on Friday leaving town for the race. I had to do some defensive driving not to hit that chick! What a coincidence!

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